Optimal exposure of a bottom surface of a substrate material and/or edges thereof for cleaning in a spin coating device

ABSTRACT

A method includes rendering a cleaning nozzle of a spin coating device below a base plate and out of optimal exposure to a bottom surface and edges of a substrate material placed on a spin chuck in a state of engagement of the base plate with the spin chuck, and rendering the base plate completely under the spin chuck even in the aforementioned state of engagement. In response to disengagement of a lid from the base plate, the method also includes disengaging the base plate from the spin chuck to lower the base plate to a locking point whereupon a portion of the cleaning nozzle below the base plate passes through a hole in the base plate and emerges completely out of and above the base plate, and cleaning the bottom surface and/or the edges of the substrate material utilizing the cleaning nozzle based on an optimal exposure thereof.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a Continuation and Divisional Patent Application ofco-pending U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 16/459,613 titledOPTIMAL EXPOSURE OF A BOTTOM SURFACE OF A SUBSTRATE MATERIAL AND/OREDGES THEREOF FOR CLEANING IN A SPIN COATING DEVICE. filed on Jul. 2,2019, which is a U.S. Utility Conversion Patent Application of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/695,826 titled METHOD AND SYSTEMFOR PHOTORESIST COATING OF A SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER WITH BACKSIDE EDGE BEADREMOVAL USING AN EBR NOZZLE filed on Jul. 9, 2018. The contents of theaforementioned applications are incorporated by reference in entiretythereof.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

This disclosure relates generally to spin coating devices and, moreparticularly, to optimal exposure of a bottom surface of a substratematerial and/or edges thereof for cleaning in a spin coating device.

BACKGROUND

A substrate material (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) may be coated with afilm-forming substance (e.g., a photoresist material) on a top surfacethereof and placed on a spin chuck of a spin coating device. Thespinning of the spin chuck along with the substrate material maydistribute the film-forming substance uniformly across the top surfaceof the substrate material. However, said spinning may also causebuild-up of some of the film-forming substance at edges of the substratematerial; this spill-over may extend to a bottom surface of thesubstrate material.

The cleaning of the edge build-up and the spill-over may involveutilizing separate dispense arms or similar elements to clean the bottomsurface of the substrate material and/or the edges thereof. This processmay lead to chemical/particle contamination with respect to the coatedsubstrate material.

SUMMARY

Disclosed are methods, a device and/or a system of optimal exposure of abottom surface of a substrate material and/or edges thereof for cleaningin a spin coating device.

In one aspect, a method includes providing, in a spin coating device, abase plate assembly including a base plate and a number of locking pins,and providing a spin chuck of the spin coating device on which asubstrate material is configured to be placed with a number of key slotscorresponding to the number of locking pins of the base plate assembly.The substrate material includes a top surface and a bottom surface, andthe top surface is a surface configured to be coated with a film-formingsubstance. The method also includes configuring the number of lockingpins of the base plate assembly to engage with the number of key slotsof the spin chuck such that, in a state of the engagement of the baseplate with the spin chuck, the base plate synchronously spins along withthe spin chuck with the coated substrate material, and rendering acleaning nozzle of the spin coating device below the base plate and outof optimal exposure to the bottom surface of the substrate material andedges thereof in the state of the engagement of the base plate with thespin chuck.

Further, the method includes rendering the base plate completely underthe spin chuck even in the state of the engagement of the base platewith the spin chuck, engaging a lid with the base plate of the spincoating device such that the lid synchronously co-rotates with the baseplate during the synchronous spinning of the base plate along with thespin chuck to enable a low turbulence environment for distribution ofthe film-forming substance across the top surface of the substratematerial, and, in response to disengagement of the lid from the baseplate, disengaging the number of locking pins of the base plate from thenumber of key slots of the spin chuck to lower the base plate such thatthe base plate is disengaged from the spin chuck to render the spinchuck free of the base plate, and lowering the base plate to a lockingpoint whereupon a portion of the cleaning nozzle below the base platepasses through a hole in the base plate and emerges completely out ofand above the base plate such that the cleaning nozzle is optimallyexposed to the bottom surface of the substrate material and the edgesthereof. Still further, the method includes cleaning the bottom surfaceof the substrate material and/or the edges thereof utilizing thecleaning nozzle based on the optimal exposure.

In another aspect, a method includes providing, in a spin coatingdevice, a base plate assembly including a base plate and a number oflocking pins, and providing a spin chuck of the spin coating device onwhich a substrate material is configured to be placed with a number ofkey slots corresponding to the number of locking pins of the base plateassembly. The substrate material includes a top surface and a bottomsurface, and the top surface is a surface configured to be coated with afilm-forming substance. The method also includes, through an actuatormechanism, configuring the number of locking pins of the base plateassembly to engage with the number of key slots of the spin chuck suchthat, in a state of the engagement of the base plate with the spinchuck, the base plate synchronously spins along with the spin chuck withthe coated substrate material, and rendering a cleaning nozzle of thespin coating device below the base plate and out of optimal exposure tothe bottom surface of the substrate material and edges thereof in thestate of the engagement of the base plate with the spin chuck.

Further, the method includes rendering the base plate completely underthe spin chuck even in the state of the engagement of the base platewith the spin chuck, engaging a lid with the base plate of the spincoating device such that the lid synchronously co-rotates with the baseplate during the synchronous spinning of the base plate along with thespin chuck to enable a low turbulence environment for distribution ofthe film-forming substance across the top surface of the substratematerial, and, through the actuator mechanism and in response todisengagement of the lid from the base plate, disengaging the number oflocking pins of the base plate from the number of key slots of the spinchuck to lower the base plate such that the base plate is disengagedfrom the spin chuck to render the spin chuck free of the base plate, andlowering the base plate to a locking point whereupon a portion of thecleaning nozzle below the base plate passes through a hole in the baseplate and emerges completely out of and above the base plate such thatthe cleaning nozzle is optimally exposed to the bottom surface of thesubstrate material and the edges thereof. Still further, the methodincludes cleaning the bottom surface of the substrate material and/orthe edges thereof utilizing the cleaning nozzle based on the optimalexposure.

In yet another aspect, a method includes providing, in a spin coatingdevice, a base plate assembly including a base plate and a number oflocking pins, and providing a spin chuck of the spin coating device onwhich a substrate material is configured to be placed with a number ofkey slots corresponding to the number of locking pins of the base plateassembly. The substrate material includes a top surface and a bottomsurface, and the top surface is a surface configured to be coated with afilm-forming substance. The method also includes configuring the numberof locking pins of the base plate assembly to engage with the number ofkey slots of the spin chuck such that, in a state of the engagement ofthe base plate with the spin chuck, the base plate synchronously spinsalong with the spin chuck with the coated substrate material, andrendering an Edge Bead Removal (EBR) nozzle of the spin coating devicebelow the base plate and out of optimal exposure to the bottom surfaceof the substrate material and edges thereof in the state of theengagement of the base plate with the spin chuck.

Further, the method includes rendering the base plate completely underthe spin chuck even in the state of the engagement of the base platewith the spin chuck, engaging a lid with the base plate of the spincoating device such that the lid synchronously co-rotates with the baseplate during the synchronous spinning of the base plate along with thespin chuck to enable a low turbulence environment for distribution ofthe film-forming substance across the top surface of the substratematerial, and, in response to disengagement of the lid from the baseplate, disengaging the number of locking pins of the base plate from thenumber of key slots of the spin chuck to lower the base plate such thatthe base plate is disengaged from the spin chuck to render the spinchuck free of the base plate, and lowering the base plate to a lockingpoint whereupon a portion of the EBR nozzle below the base plate passesthrough a hole in the base plate and emerges completely out of and abovethe base plate such that the EBR nozzle is optimally exposed to thebottom surface of the substrate material and the edges thereof. Stillfurther, the method includes cleaning the bottom surface of thesubstrate material and/or the edges thereof utilizing the EBR nozzlebased on the optimal exposure.

Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and fromthe detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of this invention are illustrated by way of example andnot limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in whichlike references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a photoresist coating system, according toone or more embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a semiconductor wafer configured to beplaced on a spin chuck of a photoresist coating device of thephotoresist coating system of FIG. 1, according to one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the photoresist coating device ofFIG. 1 in which a lid is lowered to engage with a base plate thereof,according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of key slots on the spin chuck of thephotoresist coating device of FIG. 1, according to one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of disengagement of the lid from thebase plate of the photoresist coating device of FIG. 1, according to oneor more embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a specific summary of operationsrepresented through FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, according to one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram detailing the operations involved inenabling cleaning a bottom surface of a substrate material and/or edgesthereof in a spin coating device, according to one or more embodiments.

Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments, as described below, may be used to provide methods,a device and/or a system of optimal exposure of a bottom surface of asubstrate material and/or edges thereof for cleaning in a spin coatingdevice. Although the present embodiments have been described withreference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident thatvarious modifications and changes may be made to these embodimentswithout departing from the broader spirit and scope of the variousembodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a photoresist coating system 100, according to one or moreembodiments. As implied, in one or more embodiments, photoresist coatingsystem 100 may enable coating of a photoresist (e.g., a light-sensitivematerial) on a surface (e.g., a substrate of a semiconductor wafer);said photoresist may enable transfer of an image onto the surface.Photoresists are well known to one skilled in the art. Detaileddiscussion associated therewith has been skipped for the sake ofconvenience and clarity.

In one or more embodiments, photoresist coating system 100 may include aphotoresist coating device 102 configured to coat the surface mentionedabove with the photoresist through a spin coating process. While, insome embodiments, photoresist coating device 102, as part of photoresistcoating system 100, may be controlled mechanically, electronicallyand/or electrically, at least some control of photoresist coating device102 may be accomplished through a data processing device 104communicatively coupled thereto, as shown in FIG. 1. In theseembodiments, data processing device 104 may include a processor 152(e.g., a microprocessor) communicatively coupled to a memory 154 (e.g.,a volatile and/or a non-volatile memory); memory 154 may include storagelocations addressable through processor 152; here, processor 152 mayperform operations associated with predefined/preconfigured movement(s)of components of photoresist coating device 102.

In one or more embodiments, photoresist coating device 102 may includean enclosure 114 within which a spin chuck 108 and a base plate 112 areoperated. In one or more embodiments, spin chuck 108 may be a platform(e.g., circular) on which a semiconductor wafer (to be discussed below)is configured to be placed. In one or more embodiments, spin chuck 108may be configured to secure the semiconductor wafer thereon firmly andto rotate at a high speed. In one or more embodiments, followingapplication of a photoresist material on a surface of the semiconductorwafer, the rotation of spin chuck 108 may distribute the photoresistmaterial uniformly across the surface.

In one or more embodiments, base plate 112 may be a metal platepositioned below spin chuck 108 within enclosure 114. In one or moreembodiments, photoresist coating device 102 may include a lid 110configured to enable engagement of base plate 112 with spin chuck 108.In one or more embodiments, lid 110 may be operated through anappropriate mechanism (to be discussed below; e.g., based on automaticcontrol through data processing device 104) to be lowered from aninitial position to securely engage with base plate 112, which, in turn,engages with spin chuck 108 on which the semiconductor wafer isconfigured to be placed. In one or more embodiments, lid 110 may also belifted (e.g., automatically) back to the initial position through thesame appropriate mechanism.

FIG. 2 shows a semiconductor wafer 202 configured to be placed on spinchuck 108, according to one or more embodiments; in one or moreembodiments, said semiconductor wafer 202 may be securely placed on spinchuck 108 based on application of suction to a surface (e.g., bottomsurface 294, as shown in FIG. 2) of semiconductor wafer 202 directly incontact with spin chuck 108. Once semiconductor wafer 202 is securelyplaced on spin chuck 108, photoresist material may be applied on top(e.g., on top surface 292) of semiconductor wafer 202, as shown in FIG.2. Both manual and automatic means of application of the photoresistmaterial may be envisioned within the scope of the exemplary embodimentsdiscussed herein. In one or more embodiments, spin chuck 108 may beconfigured to rotate at a high speed, as discussed above, to enableuniform spreading of the photoresist material (e.g., photoresistmaterial 242 shown in FIG. 2) across top surface 292 of semiconductorwafer 202. FIG. 2 also shows edges 252 of semiconductor wafer 202,according to one or more embodiments.

In one or more embodiments, in a synchronized spinning process enabledthrough photoresist coating device 102, spin chuck 108 includingsemiconductor wafer 202 coated with photoresist material 242 and baseplate 112 may rotate together synchronously. In one or more embodiments,to provide for a low turbulence environment for distribution ofphotoresist material 242 across top surface 292 of semiconductor wafer202, lid 110 of photoresist coating device 102 may be lowered tosecurely lock onto base plate 112 and synchronously co-rotate therewith.In one or more embodiments, said secure locking may result in aco-rotating base plate 112 and lid 110 spinning synchronously along withspin chuck 108 with the coated semiconductor wafer 202 on top.

FIG. 3 shows photoresist coating device 102 in which lid 110 is loweredto engage with base plate 112, according to one or more embodiments. Itshould be noted that FIG. 3 may be a front view of photoresist coatingdevice 102 to reveal mechanisms inherent in operations discussed herein.In one or more embodiments, as discussed above, lid 110 may be loweredfrom an initial position 350 thereof to lock onto a spinning motion ofbase plate 112. In one or more embodiments, photoresist coating device102 may have a lid mechanism 302 to operate lid 110 and move lid 110from initial position 350 to a lock position thereof with base plate112. Lid mechanism 302 disclosed in FIG. 3 is only for illustrativepurposes. Any lid mechanism 302 enabling the movement of lid 110discussed above is within the scope of the exemplary embodimentsdiscussed herein.

Also, as seen above, in one or more embodiments, lid mechanism 302 mayenable lifting of lid 110 back to initial position 350 from the lockposition. In one or more embodiments, photoresist coating device 102 mayinclude an air cylinder mechanism 306 associated therewith by which anair cylinder 308 is pressurized enough to enable raising base plate 112toward spin chuck 108. In one or more embodiments, the locking of lid110 with base plate 112 may automatically trigger pressurizing of aircylinder 308 to enable raising base plate 112 toward spin chuck 108.

In one or more embodiments, photoresist coating device 102 may include aspindle tube 310 configured to serve as an axis of rotation of spinchuck 108. In some embodiments, spindle tube 310 may be a component ofspin chuck 108 positioned in enclosure 114. In one or more embodiments,spindle tube 310 may be associated with a sleeve 312 configured wraparound spindle tube 310 (e.g., cylindrical in shape). In one or moreembodiments, following the locking of lid 110 with base plate 112 (e.g.,in response to locking of lid 110 with base plate 112; or, independentlytherefrom), the pressurizing of air cylinder 308 may enable sleeve 312to raise base plate 112 toward spin chuck 108 based on communicativecoupling between air cylinder mechanism 306, sleeve 312 and base plate112.

FIG. 4 shows key slots 402 on spin chuck 108, according to one or moreembodiments. Referring back to FIG. 3, base plate 112 may be part of abase plate assembly 314 including a number of locking pins 316 thereon,according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 3 shows two locking pins 316for the sake of illustrative convenience. In one or more embodiments,the raising of base plate 112 toward spin chuck 108 through sleeve 312may cause locking pins 316 to engage with key slots 402 in spin chuck108. In one or more embodiments, said engagement may also lock a motionof base plate 112 with that of spin chuck 108, thereby enablingsynchronized spinning thereof. It is to be noted that one or morelocking pins 316 and an associated one or more key slots 402 in spinchuck 108 may be sufficient to be covered under the concepts associatedwith the exemplary embodiments discussed herein.

Further, it should be noted that, in some embodiments, key slotsanalogous to key slots 402 may be on base plate 112/base plate assembly314 instead of on spin chuck 108 and locking pins analogous to lockingpins 316 may be on spin chuck 108 instead of base plate assembly 314.The engagement/disengagement of locking pins 316 within key slots 402here may be obvious in view of the other embodiments discussed above.

In typical implementations of photoresist coating, the spinning ofphotoresist material 242 on semiconductor wafer 202 may cause build-upof some photoresist material 242 at edges 252 of semiconductor wafer202. Said build-up may spill onto bottom surface 294 of semiconductorwafer 202. As a thorough contact between semiconductor wafer 202 and aphotomask (not shown) and a contamination-free backside (e.g., bottomsurface 294) of semiconductor wafer 202 are desired, removal of edgebeads of photoresist material 242 and/or cleaning of bottom surface 294prior to pattern exposure may be required.

Typical solutions may involve utilizing separate dispense arms orsimilar elements to clean bottom surface 294 of semiconductor wafer 202and/or edges 252 thereof. These may suffer from crudity related issuesand the lack of a controlled environment for said cleaning. In one ormore embodiments, photoresist coating device 102 may include a cleaningnozzle 318 (e.g., an Edge Bead Removal (EBR) nozzle) below base plate112 in the state of engagement of base plate 112 with spin chuck 108, asshown in FIG. 3. In one or more embodiments, cleaning nozzle 318 may beconfigured to inject an appropriate solvent or fluid to clean bottomsurface 294 of semiconductor wafer 202 and/or edges 252 of semiconductorwafer 202.

However, in one or more embodiments, in the state of engagement of baseplate 112 with lid 110, cleaning nozzle 318 may be below base plate 112,as shown in FIG. 3, and out of optimal exposure thereof to bottomsurface 294 of semiconductor wafer 202 and edges 252 thereof. In one ormore embodiments, the engagement of base plate 112 with spin chuck 108may enable spin chuck 108 to control motion of base plate 112. In one ormore embodiments, as base plate 112 is up against lid 110, lid 110 andbase plate 112 may together synchronously spin with spin chuck 108.

FIG. 5 shows disengagement of lid 110 from base plate 112, according toone or more embodiments; FIG. 5 is a front view thereof. In one or moreembodiments, said disengagement may be triggered through data processingdevice 104 as part of instructions stored therein to enable cleaning ofbottom surface 294 of semiconductor wafer 202 and/or edges 252 thereof.In one or more other embodiments, the disengagement may result frommanual or automatic intervention on photoresist coating device 102. Inone or more embodiments, as part of the disengagement, lid mechanism 302may raise lid 110 from the lock position to disengage lid 110 from baseplate 112. In one or more embodiments, said disengagement may result inlid 110 going back to initial position 350.

In one or more embodiments, air cylinder mechanism 306 may then lower(e.g., release) the pressure through air cylinder 308 to release themechanism attached to spindle tube 310. In other words, in one or moreembodiments, the lowering of pressure through air cylinder 308 may causesleeve 312 around spindle tube 310 to be lowered, thereby disengagingbase plate 112 from spin chuck 308. In one or more embodiments, as partof the disengagement of base plate 112 from spin chuck 308, locking pins316 of base assembly 314 may be disengaged from corresponding key slots402 of spin chuck 108. In one or more embodiments, this may result inspin chuck 108 being able to move and spin freely of base plate 112.

In one or more embodiments, the disengagement of base plate 112 fromspin chuck 308 may cause base plate 112 to be lowered. In someembodiments, the lowering of base plate 112 may continue until a pointof locking thereof (FIG. 5 shows the direction of movement of base plate112 till a locking point 550); said locking may be due to cleaningnozzle 318 poking out through an exposed hole 502 in base plate 112. Itshould be noted that, in one or more embodiments, cleaning nozzle 318may, thus, be enabled to clean and/or wash bottom surface 294 ofsemiconductor wafer 202 and/or edges 252 thereof following the lowering(e.g., to locking point 550) of base plate 112. While exposed hole 502may be one means to optimally expose cleaning nozzle 318 to bottomsurface 294 of semiconductor wafer 202 and/or edges 252 thereof forwashing/cleaning, other means therefor are within the scope of theexemplary embodiments discussed herein.

While FIG. 3 shows only one cleaning nozzle 318, it should be noted thatmore than one cleaning nozzle 318 at appropriate locations are withinthe scope of the exemplary embodiments discussed herein. To generalize,the lowering of base plate 112 may optimally expose a “cleaningmechanism” (e.g., cleaning nozzle 318; other forms of and means forwashing and/or cleaning are within the scope of the exemplaryembodiments discussed herein) to bottom surface 294 of semiconductorwafer 202 and/or edges 252 thereof for washing and/or cleaning. Asdiscussed above, in one or more embodiments, the disengaged base plate112 may be independent of the spinning of spin chuck 108. Conversely, inone or more embodiments, spin chuck 108 may now be able to spinindependently of base assembly 314 including base plate 112.

In one or more embodiments, at locking point 550 of base plate 112,cleaning nozzle 318 may be configured to eject a stream of anappropriate solvent to clean/wash bottom surface 294 of semiconductorwafer 202 and/or edges 252 thereof. In some other embodiments, thegeneralized “cleaning mechanism” may employ appropriate brushes (notshown) to clean and/or wash bottom surface 294 of semiconductor wafer202 and/or edges 252 thereof.

Thus, exemplary embodiments discussed herein dispense with the need forintroduction of one or more outside dispense arm(s) to clean bottomsurface 294 of semiconductor wafer 202 and/or edges 252 thereof, therebypreventing additional defects and/or chemical/particle contamination.Further, exemplary embodiments constitute the first-of-kindengagement/disengagement mechanism of base plate 112 with respect tospin chuck 108 in a photoresist coating device (e.g., photoresistcoating device 102) to enable optimal exposure of a cleaning mechanismto bottom surface 294 of semiconductor wafer 202 and/or edges 252thereof. Still further, exemplary embodiments provide for a lowturbulence environment for the spinning of semiconductor wafer 202, forplanarization of top surface 292 of semiconductor wafer 202 and forreduced chemical usage (e.g., of photoresist material 242, one or morecleaning solvents) therefor.

It should be noted that air cylinder mechanism 306 discussed above maygenerically be called “actuator mechanism” to activate and raise/lowersleeve 312 around spindle tube 310 to engage/disengage base plate 112with/from spin chuck 108; photoresist coating device 102 may genericallybe called “spin coating device.” Also, it should be noted that conceptsrelated to exemplary embodiments discussed herein may be applicable toany “substrate material” (of which semiconductor wafer 202 is only oneexample) whose bottom surface (e.g., bottom surface 294) and/or edges(e.g., 252) need to be washed and/or cleaned. Again, photoresistmaterial 242 may be merely one example of a “film-forming substance”configured to be coated on a top surface (e.g., top surface 292) of thesubstrate material. Cleaning and/or washing thereof are within the scopeof the exemplary embodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 6 summarizes the engagement of base plate 112 with spin chuck 108of photoresist coating device 102, as discussed with regard to FIG. 3,and the disengagement of base plate 112 from spin chuck 108 ofphotoresist coating device 102, as discussed with regard to FIG. 5,according to one or more embodiments. Again, in some alternateembodiments (not shown for obviousness purposes), key slots analogous tokey slots 402 may be on base plate 112/base plate assembly 314 insteadof on spin chuck 108 and locking pins analogous to locking pins 316 maybe on spin chuck 108 instead of base plate assembly 314. As discussedabove, all operations related to movement(s) of components ofphotoresist coating device 102 may be automatically triggered throughdata processing device 104 configured to read and execute instructionsembodied in a non-transitory machine readable medium (e.g., a harddisk/drive, a Digital Video Disc (DVD), a Compact Disc (CD), a Blu-rayDisc™). All reasonable variations are within the scope of the exemplaryembodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 7 shows a process flow diagram detailing the operations involved inenabling cleaning a bottom surface (e.g., bottom surface 294) of asubstrate material (e.g., semiconductor wafer 202) and/or edges (e.g.,edges 252) thereof in a spin coating device (e.g., photoresist coatingdevice 102), according to one or more embodiments. In one or moreembodiments, operation 702 may involve rendering a cleaning mechanism(e.g., cleaning nozzle 318) below a base plate (e.g., base plate 112) ofthe spin coating device and out of optimal exposure to the bottomsurface of the substrate material and/or the edges thereof in a state ofengagement of the base plate with a spin chuck (e.g., spin chuck 108) ofthe spin coating device. In one or more embodiments, the spin chuck maybe configured to have the substrate material including a top surface(e.g., top surface 292) and the bottom surface placed thereon.

In one or more embodiments, the top surface may be a surface configuredto be coated with a film-forming substance (e.g., photoresist material242). In one or more embodiments, the base plate may be configured tosynchronously spin along with the spin chuck with the coated substratematerial in the state of engagement. In one or more embodiments, inresponse to disengagement of a lid (e.g., lid 110) of the spin coatingdevice configured to synchronously co-rotate with the base plate duringthe synchronous spinning of the base plate along with the spin chuckfrom the base plate, operation 704 may involve disengaging the baseplate from the spin chuck to render the spin chuck free of the baseplate.

In one or more embodiments, operation 706 may involve lowering the baseplate in accordance with the disengagement of the base plate from thespin chuck such that the cleaning mechanism is optimally exposed to thebottom surface of the substrate material and/or the edges thereof basedon emergence of the cleaning mechanism through the base plate. In one ormore embodiments, operation 708 may then involve cleaning the bottomsurface of the substrate material and/or the edges thereof utilizing thecleaning mechanism based on the optimal exposure.

Although the present embodiments have been described with reference tospecific example embodiments, it will be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: providing, in a spin coatingdevice, a base plate assembly comprising a base plate and a plurality oflocking pins; providing a spin chuck of the spin coating device on whicha substrate material is configured to be placed with a plurality of keyslots corresponding to the plurality of locking pins of the base plateassembly, the substrate material comprising a top surface and a bottomsurface, and the top surface being a surface configured to be coatedwith a film-forming substance; configuring the plurality of locking pinsof the base plate assembly to engage with the plurality of key slots ofthe spin chuck such that, in a state of the engagement of the base platewith the spin chuck, the base plate synchronously spins along with thespin chuck with the coated substrate material; rendering a cleaningnozzle of the spin coating device below the base plate and out ofoptimal exposure to the bottom surface of the substrate material andedges thereof in the state of the engagement of the base plate with thespin chuck; rendering the base plate completely under the spin chuckeven in the state of the engagement of the base plate with the spinchuck; engaging a lid with the base plate of the spin coating devicesuch that the lid synchronously co-rotates with the base plate duringthe synchronous spinning of the base plate along with the spin chuck toenable a low turbulence environment for distribution of the film-formingsubstance across the top surface of the substrate material; in responseto disengagement of the lid from the base plate: disengaging theplurality of locking pins of the base plate from the plurality of keyslots of the spin chuck to lower the base plate such that the base plateis disengaged from the spin chuck to render the spin chuck free of thebase plate; and lowering the base plate to a locking point whereupon aportion of the cleaning nozzle below the base plate passes through ahole in the base plate and emerges completely out of and above the baseplate such that the cleaning nozzle is optimally exposed to the bottomsurface of the substrate material and the edges thereof; and cleaning atleast one of: the bottom surface of the substrate material and the edgesthereof utilizing the cleaning nozzle based on the optimal exposure. 2.The method of claim 1, comprising the substrate material being asemiconductor wafer.
 3. The method of claim 1, comprising thefilm-forming substance being a photoresist material.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, comprising effecting the engagement of the base plate with thespin chuck and the disengagement thereof from the spin chuck using anactuator mechanism associated with an air cylinder configured to be:pressurized to enable the engagement of the base plate with the spinchuck based on movement of the base plate upward toward the spin chuck,and released of pressure to enable the disengagement of the base platefrom the spin chuck.
 5. The method of claim 4, comprising raising asleeve around a spindle tube associated with the spin chuck based on thepressurization through the air cylinder to enable the movement of thebase plate upward toward the spin chuck.
 6. The method of claim 5,comprising configuring the spindle tube to serve as an axis of rotationof the spin chuck.
 7. The method of claim 1, comprising the cleaningnozzle being an Edge Bead Removal (EBR) nozzle.
 8. A method comprising:providing, in a spin coating device, a base plate assembly comprising abase plate and a plurality of locking pins; providing a spin chuck ofthe spin coating device on which a substrate material is configured tobe placed with a plurality of key slots corresponding to the pluralityof locking pins of the base plate assembly, the substrate materialcomprising a top surface and a bottom surface, and the top surface beinga surface configured to be coated with a film-forming substance; throughan actuator mechanism, configuring the plurality of locking pins of thebase plate assembly to engage with the plurality of key slots of thespin chuck such that, in a state of the engagement of the base platewith the spin chuck, the base plate synchronously spins along with thespin chuck with the coated substrate material; rendering a cleaningnozzle of the spin coating device below the base plate and out ofoptimal exposure to the bottom surface of the substrate material andedges thereof in the state of the engagement of the base plate with thespin chuck; rendering the base plate completely under the spin chuckeven in the state of the engagement of the base plate with the spinchuck; engaging a lid with the base plate of the spin coating devicesuch that the lid synchronously co-rotates with the base plate duringthe synchronous spinning of the base plate along with the spin chuck toenable a low turbulence environment for distribution of the film-formingsubstance across the top surface of the substrate material; through theactuator mechanism and in response to disengagement of the lid from thebase plate: disengaging the plurality of locking pins of the base platefrom the plurality of key slots of the spin chuck to lower the baseplate such that the base plate is disengaged from the spin chuck torender the spin chuck free of the base plate; and lowering the baseplate to a locking point whereupon a portion of the cleaning nozzlebelow the base plate passes through a hole in the base plate and emergescompletely out of and above the base plate such that the cleaning nozzleis optimally exposed to the bottom surface of the substrate material andthe edges thereof; and cleaning at least one of: the bottom surface ofthe substrate material and the edges thereof utilizing the cleaningnozzle based on the optimal exposure.
 9. The method of claim 8,comprising the substrate material being a semiconductor wafer.
 10. Themethod of claim 8, comprising the film-forming substance being aphotoresist material.
 11. The method of claim 8, comprising the actuatormechanism being associated with an air cylinder configured to be:pressurized to enable the engagement of the base plate with the spinchuck based on movement of the base plate upward toward the spin chuck,and released of pressure to enable the disengagement of the base platefrom the spin chuck.
 12. The method of claim 11, comprising raising asleeve around a spindle tube associated with the spin chuck based on thepressurization through the air cylinder to enable the movement of thebase plate upward toward the spin chuck.
 13. The method of claim 12,comprising configuring the spindle tube to serve as an axis of rotationof the spin chuck.
 14. The method of claim 8, comprising the cleaningnozzle being an EBR nozzle.
 15. A method comprising: providing, in aspin coating device, a base plate assembly comprising a base plate and aplurality of locking pins; providing a spin chuck of the spin coatingdevice on which a substrate material is configured to be placed with aplurality of key slots corresponding to the plurality of locking pins ofthe base plate assembly, the substrate material comprising a top surfaceand a bottom surface, and the top surface being a surface configured tobe coated with a film-forming substance; configuring the plurality oflocking pins of the base plate assembly to engage with the plurality ofkey slots of the spin chuck such that, in a state of the engagement ofthe base plate with the spin chuck, the base plate synchronously spinsalong with the spin chuck with the coated substrate material; renderingan EBR nozzle of the spin coating device below the base plate and out ofoptimal exposure to the bottom surface of the substrate material andedges thereof in the state of the engagement of the base plate with thespin chuck; rendering the base plate completely under the spin chuckeven in the state of the engagement of the base plate with the spinchuck; engaging a lid with the base plate of the spin coating devicesuch that the lid synchronously co-rotates with the base plate duringthe synchronous spinning of the base plate along with the spin chuck toenable a low turbulence environment for distribution of the film-formingsubstance across the top surface of the substrate material; in responseto disengagement of the lid from the base plate: disengaging theplurality of locking pins of the base plate from the plurality of keyslots of the spin chuck to lower the base plate such that the base plateis disengaged from the spin chuck to render the spin chuck free of thebase plate; and lowering the base plate to a locking point whereupon aportion of the EBR nozzle below the base plate passes through a hole inthe base plate and emerges completely out of and above the base platesuch that the EBR nozzle is optimally exposed to the bottom surface ofthe substrate material and the edges thereof; and cleaning at least oneof: the bottom surface of the substrate material and the edges thereofutilizing the EBR nozzle based on the optimal exposure.
 16. The methodof claim 15, comprising the substrate material being a semiconductorwafer.
 17. The method of claim 15, comprising the film-forming substancebeing a photoresist material.
 18. The method of claim 15, comprisingeffecting the engagement of the base plate with the spin chuck and thedisengagement thereof from the spin chuck using an actuator mechanismassociated with an air cylinder configured to be: pressurized to enablethe engagement of the base plate with the spin chuck based on movementof the base plate upward toward the spin chuck, and released of pressureto enable the disengagement of the base plate from the spin chuck. 19.The method of claim 18, comprising raising a sleeve around a spindletube associated with the spin chuck based on the pressurization throughthe air cylinder to enable the movement of the base plate upward towardthe spin chuck.
 20. The method of claim 19, comprising configuring thespindle tube to serve as an axis of rotation of the spin chuck.